Chattanooga, TN (October 12, 2017) – After launching Resource 1 Tier 3 Data Security in Chattanooga, Chuck McDonald became an early commercial adopter of EPB Solar Share to support the environmental consciousness that is at the core of his business.

“Solar power really appeals to me because it harnesses nature’s bounty,” said McDonald. “Using secure and sustainable methods of disposing of computer hard drives and other components is a central part of the service I provide to other companies in every major market throughout the Southeast.”

Operating a business with a relatively small energy demand, McDonald has offset 21% of his monthly energy usage by licensing two Solar Share panels at EPB’s 1.35 megawatt community solar power generation facility on Holtzclaw Avenue. After launching in July 2017, Solar Share provides EPB Electric Power customers a new option for participating in clean, renewable energy that lowers the barriers to entry.

“Chuck stands out as an example of the Chattanooga entrepreneur who wants to support our community with innovative solutions that also have minimal impact on the environment that we all share,” said EPB Commercial Energy Analyst Neal Potter. “By being an early adopter of Solar Share, Resource 1 Tier 3 Data Security is taking the lead in making our region less dependent on fossil fuel power generation.”

Following a 35-year IT career, McDonald launched two companies in Chattanooga, Resource 1 Tier 3 Data Security and Cerium. Their mission is to dispose of the growing amount of computer hardware without cluttering and ultimately polluting landfills or compromising his customer’s data security. Resource 1 Tier 3 Data Security grinds hard drives into 20 X 40 millimeter particles and then smelts the waste to be recycled. Cerium was launched to dispose of computers and monitors in environmentally friendly ways that meet customer expectations.

“I would highly encourage any Chattanooga business to adopt EPB Solar Share as a way to demonstrate their commitment to clean energy for our community,” McDonald said.

Established as an independent board of the City of Chattanooga in 1935, EPB is a municipally-owned utility that provides electric power and fiber optic communications services as a means of promoting economic development and enhancing quality of life across the local area.

EPB serves more than 170,000 homes and businesses in a 600 square-mile area that includes greater Chattanooga, as well as parts of surrounding counties and areas of North Georgia.

In 2010, EPB became the first provider in the United States to deliver up to 1 Gig (1,000 mbps) internet speeds utilizing a community-wide fiber optic network that provides access to every home and business in its service area. In 2015, EPB became the first, and to date, only American ISP to make up to 10 Gig (10,000 mbps) internet speeds accessible to all of its residential and commercial customers as a standard offer.

EPB has also utilized its community-wide fiber optic network to deploy the most advanced and highly automated smart grid power management system in the nation. In recognition of EPB’s groundbreaking infrastructure, the Department of Energy and Oak Ridge National Laboratory are utilizing EPB’s smart grid as a national model for researching and developing best practices. EPB is also the first major power distribution utility to earn the USGBC’s PEER certification for having a highly automated, modernized electric power grid. For more information, go to EPB.com